Comm Quiz 1

• 
  What are the five basic goals we have in mind when we develop theories?

1. Description 

2. Explanation 

3. Predation 

4. Control 

5. Reform 

• What are the seven standards we use to evaluate theories?

1. Accuracy 

2. Practicality 

3. Succietness 

4. Consistency 

5. Heuristic value 

6. Scope

7. Testability 

• Define inductive and deductive theory development.

  • Inductive: research collective first then theory  

  • Deductive:  deductive theory first then research 

• Define each of the following terms. Be able to recognize examples of them.

Constructs - labels for abstract construct that are NOT perceivable (can’t see or touch then) 

Conceptual definitions - the things we mean when we use these labels 

Operational definitions - descriptions of the observable characteristics of the concepts

Hypotheses - testable prediction about relationship between variables 

Research questions - formal question when there's not enough evidence to form a hypothesis 

What are the four types of research discussed in class? Describe each type.

• Experiments: (lab or field)

• Surveys: (interviews/questionnaire) 

• Ethnography: (studying people im field/gathering data in non obvious way) 

• Textual analysis - analysis of text (books, movies, tv) 

• Define uncertainty:

  • inability to predict attitudes or behaviors of someone/interaction  

• What are the three general principles of Uncertainty Reduction Theory?

1. When strangers meet the main concern is to reduce uncertainty

2. 3 strategies to reduce uncertainty 

3. As uncertainty decreases, liking increases

• What factors motivate us to seek information to reduce uncertainty?

  • Passive (observation) 

  • Active (asking parties ab person in questions) 

  • Interactive (directly) 

• Describe predictive and prescriptive expectancies.

  • Predictive - what we should expect based on given situation  (usually happens) 

  • Prescriptive - tell us what we should do based on social norms (should happen) 

• What three factors affect expectancies?

1. Communicator characteristics - age, sex, personality

2. Relational characteristics  - relationship between you and someone  

3. Context/situation - refers to situation/setting 

• What two factors determine our responses to expectancy violations? How do they influence our responses?

1. Violations by rewarding partners = positive

2. Violations by un-rewarding partners = negative

• Define self-disclosure. Why do we disclose information about ourselves? 

  • Sharing info voluntarily to other people about yourself 

    • We disclose information about ourselves to other people because 

      • Self presentation (want people to see us in a certain way) 

      • Relationship building (more u know more u like) 

      • Catharsis (guilt tension, stress carrying with you) 

• According to Social Penetration Theory, as our relationships develop our self-disclosure increases in breadth and depth. What does that mean?

• Breadth ( # of things we discuss with our partner) 

• Depth (personal significance) 

What are the four stages we go through as we move from being strangers to intimates?

1. Orientation (not deep) 

2. Exploratory affective exchange (causal friends) 

3. Affective exchange (deeper convos) 

4. Stable (nothing off limits) (express any feelings) 

5. Depentration (withdrawal from relationship (safe topics) 

What is depenetration?

• Gradual process of withdrawal from the relationship (stop sharing personal topics) 

What are the three factors that affect our perceptions of self-disclosure?

1. Amount of self disclosure - amount of info shared affects how open trustworthy someone is received to be, with too little creating distance and too much potentially overwhelming the listener.  

2. Reciprocity - self disclosure is often reciprocal process where the exchange of personal info fosters trust and connection, lack of reciprocity can create imbalance and discomfort 

3. Valence of self disclosure - the valsance of selfie d=islcisure whether pos or negative influences how the disclosure is received with positive sharing building rapport and the negative sharing eliciting empathy or discomfort